And starting tomorrow, it will be among the core courses offered by Villanova University as part of a new program that will convey a master of science degree in sustainable engineering.
Villanova officials said they were aware of only one other school in the country, the Rochester Institute of Technology in New York state, that offers such a degree.
In this region, Philadelphia University is considered a pioneer in sustainable-oriented academic programs. It initiated a master of science program in sustainable design in the fall of 2007. Since fall 2008, it also has offered a bachelor of science degree in environmental sustainability designed to prepare students for leadership jobs in government, industry, and nonprofit groups.
Tom Schrand, associate dean of Philadelphia University's School of Liberal Arts and chairman of the bachelor's degree program on environmental sustainability, said the courses evolved from noticing "this trend in the marketplace."
In recent years, Schrand said, universities have started hiring directors or managers of sustainability, as have private companies and government bodies. Routinely, he said, those jobs go to urban planners, engineers, and public-policy experts who "didn't have formal training" in sustainability issues.
Determining a company's environmental impact - and that of its products - and designing methods to reduce that footprint without jeopardizing economic performance is complex, time-consuming work, said Radzinski's husband, Tad, president of Sustainable Solutions.
"Degrees like this are going to be important for our future," he said of the new initiatives at Philadelphia and Villanova Universities.
